The Revival Services of “The Good Ol’ Days”

In what many refer to as “the good ol’ days,” churches would intentionally schedule revival services that often lasted one or two weeks. These gatherings were not casual events; they were deliberate seasons of spiritual renewal—times when God’s people humbled themselves and sought His face (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Revival was pursued with purpose, preparation, and expectation.

1. A gifted man or woman of God was invited to preach each evening, often functioning as an evangelist or revivalist given to the Church for its building up (Ephesians 4:11-12).
2. Weeks—sometimes a month or more—before the services began, the pastor would preach messages designed to spiritually prepare the congregation, calling people to repentance and renewed devotion (Joel 2:12-13).
3. Excitement and anticipation grew as faith was stirred throughout the church, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
4. The congregation engaged in focused prayer and fasting leading up to the meetings, following the biblical pattern of seeking God with humility and intensity (Matthew 6:16-18; Acts 13:2-3).
5. When the evangelist or revivalist arrived, the spiritual groundwork had already been laid—resulting in a powerful release of God’s presence and power, much like we see throughout the book of Acts (Acts 4:31).

Were There Results? Absolutely.

• Spiritual lives were renewed, as believers were stirred to awaken from spiritual slumber (Romans 13:11).
• People experienced physical and emotional healing, just as Jesus promised when He said believers would lay hands on the sick and they would recover (Mark 16:17-18).
• Broken relationships were restored, reflecting God’s ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).
• Believers returned to their “first love,” responding to the same call Jesus gave to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:4-5).
• A renewed passion for Jesus and His Kingdom led people to boldly share their faith—souls were saved, and new believers were added to the Church, just as the Lord did daily in the early Church (Acts 2:47).
• After the services ended, the congregation faced a choice: return to the old patterns, or fight to maintain their newfound freedom, deliverance, and joy (Galatians 5:1).

One-on-One Revival Services

This same revival dynamic is what takes place in the ministry of deliverance.

Deliverance ministry can rightly be described as a “revival service designed for the individual.” When proper spiritual preparation is present, an extraordinary release of God’s restoring power can be expected, for Jesus Himself said that freedom is a defining mark of His ministry (Luke 4:18).

What God has been doing one-on-one with individuals is evidence that He can also do it corporately. Scripture reminds us that Jesus ministered both to multitudes and to individuals, giving full attention to each (Matthew 4:23; John 4:7-26).

While our one-on-one revival sessions are time-consuming, they are also deeply effective—producing lasting freedom, healing, and transformation, as hearts are brought into alignment with truth (John 8:31-32).

Are Scheduled Revival Services Outdated?

Some believe that scheduled revival services are a relic of the past—that they simply don’t work anymore. However, the only reason revival services fail is not because God has withdrawn His power, but because desperation is absent. God promises to respond when His people seek Him wholeheartedly (Jeremiah 29:13). When church leadership and congregations are content, apathetic, or unwilling to invest the effort required for spiritual preparation, revival services become little more than religious activity (2 Timothy 3:5).

The same principle applies to deliverance ministry.

If a person does not experience lasting change after deliverance, it is almost always because they lacked true desperation and failed to prepare their heart sincerely. Scripture teaches that God draws near to the humble, but resists the proud (James 4:6-8). Likewise, when a congregation does not prepare spiritually, scheduled revival services will produce little fruit.

Revival still works. But it has always required hunger, humility, preparation, and a deep longing for God to move—just as the psalmist cried, “Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6).

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